


Ukiyo

by felix_8felicis



Series: Body Regression [2]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Attempt at Humor, Body Regression, Chan turns unto a Kid, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mention of Dissociating, Mentioned Day6 Ensemble, Mentioned GOT7 Ensemble, Swearing, Transformation, just a tiny bit, like literally - Freeform, mention of PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:53:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27612368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/felix_8felicis/pseuds/felix_8felicis
Summary: Ukiyo[u-key-yo] . Japanese(n.) living in the moment, detached from the bothers of life, "The Floating World"Oh no.Oh hell no please no no noHis hands are small, no bigger than a tennis ball. His legs are short, no longer than the chair’s legs in the kitchen. His whole body is tiny, like one of a… child. It hits Chan like a brick in the face. He regressed.Oh godOr where Chan's body retrogress to one of a child and Minho is going to end up growing grey hairPart 2 of 'Oh Sweet Summer Child'. Can also be read separately.
Relationships: Bang Chan & Everyone, Bang Chan & Lee Minho | Lee Know, No Romantic Relationship(s), Platonic Relationship(s)
Series: Body Regression [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2018780
Comments: 25
Kudos: 112





	Ukiyo

**BODY REGRESSING** : _Biological occurring in which an adult or teenage body_ _physically regress_ _to one of a young kid between the age of four and ten years old. The memory stays intact but the brain switches between different phases of ‘lucidity’ and ‘awareness’. The cause of the said phenomenon is mainly due to both hormonal and mental triggers such as accumulated stress and anxiety. Body regression is annual, but it can occur up to three or four times a year. At least once a year, the human body suddenly retrogress during a period of sleep called ‘temporary coma’ (4 to 6 hours). Body regressing last for a varying time of one to three days. No important side effects had ever been noted. However, scientific researches have shown multiple mental benefices._

 _Body Regressing or Age Regressing is not classified as a disease or an abnormality. Around 98.99998 percent of the worldwide population is subject to it._

_Since its occurrence is generally prompted during or after accumulated exhausting and stressful times, researchers are uncapable of telling with a certitude its due date. Though, it can be predicted thanks to multiple hormonal and biological factors._

_From starting during the teenage years to becoming more frequent in the twenties, the episodes will slow down until they completely stop at the thirties._ _\- read more._

Chan felt great. Too great. Too well rested for it to be anything but weird, unusual. He can’t remember the last time he woke up without an ache in his muscles and a nervous nausea in the pit of his stomach. Yet, today, he feels as light as a feather. His mind is free of any worry or concern and even when he tries to remember what schedule he has today, it’s only childish thoughts that climb in the front of his mind: _do we have pancakes for breakfast? Will I be allowed to go play outside in the park? What cartoon is playing on the TV right now?_ And as much as he wants to go back to focus, he surprises himself having drift off unto the myriad of childish thought. It’s almost as if- _Wait-_

Chan abruptly sits up, so fast that it takes long seconds for his vision to stabilize. When it does, he finds himself on a mattress in the living room. Yesterday’s event comes back to his mind like a boomerang; Hyunjin had wanted to do a sleepover, and Chan unable to refuse him, had improvised one. Though now, strangely enough, none of the members are by his side. He tries to stand up, but his legs get intertwined in the blanket he is wrapped in and he ends up falling face first on the floor. Surprised, he looks down at his body.

_Oh no._

_Oh hell no please no no no_

His hands are small, no bigger than a tennis ball. His legs are short, no longer than the chair’s legs in the kitchen. His whole body is tiny, like one of a… _child_. It hits Chan like a brick in the face. He regressed. Oh god, how will he be able to take care of the members if he’s no taller than a television? What type of leader is he if he can’t be there to guide them? What will they do for the award show tomorrow? How many millions of stays will he disappoint?

The tears cling on his eyes like a leaf on the edge of a cliff. His nose hurts from where he had hit it on the cold merciless floor. He presses his lips, his shoulders silently shaking. He can’t get the cover off of him no matter how much he shakes his legs. He starts rubbing his eyes. Chan wants his mom. He wants to cry loudly and be consoled but the silence of the apartment warns him from even opening his mouth. He tries to prevent his mind from dissociating, but it’s hard when he just woke up in the body of a child. The only thing his mind can recognize vividly is the loneliness sitting on the ground by his side. It held his hand when he was still a trainee and had regressed, no one really there capable to take care of him. It hugged him in its cold arms when he used to lock himself in his studio, alone, playing with a blanket and waiting for his body to go back to normal. It smiled at him when he started repressing his little side, refusing to let anyone take care of him as he secluded himself in an unhealthy cycle. Alone, here in the dorms of all places, it hit Chan in the chest almost as strong as a PTSD would. His loneliness had disappeared when his members had come and he had started to let himself be taken care of when he annually regresses, but where are they now?

Repressing his cries, something he had grown used doing, Chan presses his small hands against his eyes and sniffles, swallowing the unspoken sobs back down. He is swaying amid multiple states of consciousness between his past self and the present one. He tries clinging on the latest one, trying to remember what they had always been taught to say when they find themselves in a situation like this. “M-My name is Bang Christopher Chan.” He says in an unsteady voice. “I am Stray Kids’ leader.” He removes his hand from his eyes and starts working on freeing his legs from the snake like blanket. “I’m 23 years old.”

Finally, being able to stand on his feet, the child notices that his shirt is now big enough to hang on his small frame, reaching his knees like a dress. He aimlessly roams around the apartment, poking his head in each room to see if anyone is around. But there’s no one, Chan is all alone by himself. Another wave of panic ascends his heart, summoning the traitorous tears back. “Where is everyone?” he asks unto the void with a broken voice. _Why am I alone?_ The question fogs his head, but he doesn’t muster the strength to ask it out loud, terrified of the silence that will respond.

A part of Chan’s brain is begging him to curl up in a dark spot and cry. It’s tempting and his trembling shoulders would appreciate it, but there’s another more reasonable side of him ordering him to just find his phone and make a phone call like any normal grown up would. But Chan isn’t a grown up. He is six and his body wants him to act like six years old would. Before he can linger more on the thought, his eye catches the sight of his phone on the floor beside the mattress he had been laying on. He almost jumps at it, latching with all his mental strength unto the rational part that is trying to make him give up on the temptation to simply cry and do nothing.

Thankfully, he still remembers his password, and as he reaches the contact list, his brain lags on recognizing the Korean characters. His trembling fingers tap on the first English name his eyes lay on, and with equal unstable arms, bring the device to his ear. It rings twice.

_“Hello?”_

The first tear rolls down the child’s cheek the second Felix’s energetic bubbly voice erupts through the phone. Chan knows exactly what he had expected; for the line to keep ringing in nothingness, no one on the other side to answer. Something inside of him had convinced him that no one would answer. That Felix doesn’t care, doesn’t even exist. That he will have to stay locked up in the dorm for as long as his regressions last, alone and fighting against every instinct in his body that’s telling him to just be a child. Because Chan had done it before. When everyone had left, he had been the only one there to take care of himself. Yet, Felix is real and isn’t part of his imagination, but why isn’t he by his side? Why did he leave?

_“Channi hyung? Do you hear me?”_

The words cascade off his lips like a castle of cards falling to the ground. “Why did you leave me behind?” his voice breaks, disappear unto cracks and tearful sobs. This time, he can’t stop himself. He starts crying, hiccups shaking his whole body like an earthquake.

 _“H-hyung? Channi hyung don’t cry, why are you crying?”_ There’s a voice behind Felix asking what’s going on but the young Australian ignores it. _“I didn’t leave you behind Hyung I would never.”_

Chan forces himself to calm down, the genuine concern and sadness in Felix’s voice making him snap back to reality _. “Pass me the phone”_

 _“Channi? What’s up buddy?”_ It’s Minho, tone calm and lighthearted. Chan whips his eyes. “Where are you?” He asks more stably, leftovers of shakiness clinging to his voice.

 _“We’re in the company Hyung. The managers insisted to go practice for something important.”_ Chan doesn’t ask what the important thing is, he doesn’t feel mentally capable of assimilating the answer. _“We really wanted to stay until you woke up, but Manager Kim said he will take you to us as soon as you wake up.”_

Chan sniffles again. His hand tightens his hold on the phone, eyes casted on the floor. “When will he be here?”

_“Who Channi?”_

“Manager Kim. Y-you said he will take me to you” his voice is uncertain, trembling. What if Minho had only been laying? What if no one is coming to get him?

 _“He- He’s there Chan, Manager Kim stayed with you.”_ Chan looks around him. The apartment as empty and silent as it had been when he first woke up. “I’m alone.” The tears start flooding his cheeks, obstructing his throat and vision. He can feel his consciousness slipping, falling apart like sand between fingers. 6 years old Chan just wants to cry and be held.

 _“Hyung- Hyung don’t cry keep calm okey? It’s impossible, maybe you just didn’t look well. Manager Kim was supposed to look out after you. Maybe he’s just in the bathroom?”_ Panic climbs in Minho’s voice, soon accompanied by multiple voices that the dancer urges to stop. _“Where are you right now exactly?”_

“In the living room.” Chan stands up on small legs. “I already looked there’s no one.”

 _“Can you go double check the bathroom again please? Or the bedrooms maybe he fell asleep on one of the beds.”_ Minho then proceed to whisper to someone beside him. _“Changbin call him on his phone.”_ While Chan went and verified all the rooms again, he tried to stay focused on his voice to keep the panic out of his system. Minho’s voice was confident and left no place to hesitation. _“He’s not answering? Take IN with you and go explain the situation to Manager Lee and Jung. I don’t care if they are in a meeting get them out and tell them that If I ever come across Manger Kim, I’m gonna rip his eyes off and play golf with them.”_

“He’s not here.” Chan speaks up when his legs leads him back to the living room.

 _“He’s not? It’s okey Hyung we’re on our way okey? Don’t cry you are our Hyung and leader you wouldn’t cry now would you?”_ Chan doesn’t know how Minho figured out that he is crying, and it spook him out a bit. He quickly whips his tearful eyes and shakes his head. “I’m not crying.”

 _“I’m sure you’re not”_ Minho reassures. _“What would you like to eat? We will bring you anything you want.”_

“I’m not hungry.” Chan lies, sitting on the floor, his back to the wall and facing the front door. _“Really? Not even some Vanilla ice cream? Gummybears?”_

“With choco?”

 _“Of course, who would forget some chocolate?”_ Minho readjusts his phone, making the device wince and scratches. _“Seungmin and Hyunjin take my credit card and go to the nearest convenient store. Buy all the damn ice creams and snacks you can find. Anything Chan-Hyung likes. Maybe even a coloring book if you find any. Meet us here in an hour. Sunshine twins pack your stuff we’re leaving.”_

“Why are you leaving me?” The last spoken word had left the most impact on the child’s lonely and scared brain. Had Felix lied to him? Where were they going?

 _“No no no Channi hyung we’re not leaving you oh god where would we go without you hyung? We’re coming to get you remember? Jisung wants to talk with you.”_ He removes the phone from his ear, but Chan can still hear his distant voice whispering in a rush. _“Distract him! I don’t know talk to him about producing or something. Anything that would keep his mind from dissociating.”_

There’s more shuffling before Jisung’s voice speaks through the phone. _“Hyung Hi”_

“Hey” Chan responds with a small voice. It’s getting harder to focus.

 _“I need help with a song Hyung. Remember the one we are supposed to perform in golden disk award? To celebrate 200M views?”_ Chan hums in agreement, forcing his brain to latch on the memory. _“Yeah that one, I practiced my rap for the pre-chorus, but it just doesn’t sound right. I tried changing my tone or the track but there’s still something off about it.”_

“How does it go?”

“ _It was ‘Keep ignoring him, Keep your eyes close; baby I’m not even here, I’m a hallucination. Stray Kids is coming for World Domination, don’t ever dare say ‘COME TO MAMA_.’ _It’s the main focus of the song but I feel like it’s not impactful enough._ ”

“Maybe we can add stronger instrumentals to the track?” Chan comments completely absorbed by the sudden concern.

_“No the problem is not in the track, I think my tone just doesn’t suits this part. I was thinking maybe giving my part to another member. I thought of Changbin, he will definitely be able to make it more powerful, but I don’t know there’s still something missing.”_

“I think you already have someone in mind.”

 _“I do”_ Jisung shapelessly confirms. _“I think a certain Australian deep voice will do amazing.”_ There’s an audible yelp behind the phone call _. “I WHAT?”_ The one-day older boy completely ignores him. _“Felix will do amazing. He has a really fierce rapping style and a tone that attracts attention. I think he’ll really nail it. Anyway, we’re in front of the building we’ll be there soon don’t be scared okey Hyung-ah?”_

Chan nods, not realizing that Jisung can’t see him. A second later, the lock on the door opens, allowing the outsiders in. The first person his eyes land on is Minho. He is panting, as if he had been running. “Hi” he finally says, worry melting off his face to be replaced with a smile.

It’s like something overflowed, breaking all whatsoever barriers Chan had put on to keep himself strong. Tears fall down his cheeks, sobs racking his small body. Minho crouches down and opens his arms wide, and without a second more wasted, Chan stands up with trembling limbs and run toward him. He clashes unto the older boy with so much force that the dancer is sent crumbling to the floor. Strong warm arms wrap around the small shaking body. “It’s alright buddy, I’m here now. I’m here. I’m not leaving you.”

Chan doesn’t know what to say, so he hides his head unto the older’s neck. He allows his conscious to slip between his fingers, knowing that it’s useless to try hold 23 years old Bang Chan back when his 6 years old self is securely wrapped in his member’s arms. Felix and Jisung must have entered the dorm, but he didn’t really notice until he’s pulled back from the embrace. “Did you wash up?” Minho asks gently. Chan shakes his head. “No? You did well, thank you for not entering the bathroom when no one was home.” He pats his head. “Go wash up, I’ll get clothes ready for you in your room. If you need anything just scream okey? I’ll be in the kitchen making you lunch.”

Chan do as he is asked, and when he exits the bathroom, there really are clothes waiting for him on Felix’s bed. The later who had been playing on his phone immediately drops it when he notices the presence of the child, sitting up with wide sparkling eyes. _“Do you want me to help you dress up Chris?”_ The language, the accent and the name hits home harder that Chan thought it would. He misses his mom; he wants to tell Felix. Take me to my mom, his mind begs to whine. For some subconscious reason, he doesn’t. He quietly accepts the offered help. Taking Felix’s hand when they are done, he lets himself be guided to the kitchen where a bowl of soup is waiting for him. Jisung, Minho and Felix are arguing about something, but he gives them only half a listen.

  
“I swear I’m going to make him leave, change jobs, I don’t give a _fuck_ -”

“Hyung don’t swear in front of a child.” Felix stops Minho, blocking Chan’s ears with both of his hands as the child continues eating.

“Minho-hyung don’t you think that’s a _bit_ far?” Jisung asks, attempting to reduce the damages the older is promising to make.

“A _bit_ far?” Minho snaps, angry but not at his two friends. “He left a child alone. A six years old _child_. Chan hyung could have gotten hurt. Imagine if he didn’t wake up lucid and just kept crying his heart out unable to call us? Imagine if it wasn’t Chan but 4 years old Jeongin?” Jisung and Felix both loose some colors, making Minho slightly regrets his harsh tone. He sighs. “Listen, if we can’t trust a manager for something like this, how can we ever work safely and efficiently as a team? Not just Stray Kids but all division 1.”

There’s a silence. No one knows what else to say. The three of them look at Chan who’s happily eating his soup. When he is done, he lifts his arms in the air, waving them around. “I’m done!”

“Good Job Hyung-ah!” Jisung reaches forward to whip his mouth with a tissue. “Let’s go find the others.”

The walk back to the company isn’t long, barely 15 minutes.

When they arrive, everyone else is already in the practice room, even Manager Lee and Jung. They both look upset, but when Chan reaches them, hand tightly secured in Minho’s, they offer a smile and a pat on his hair. “Is he okey?” Mr. Lee asks in a whisper to which Minho glare at. “Of course he isn’t. He cried his eyes out, look at how swollen they are. He sobbed in my arms for 10 minutes straight.”

Mr. Lee and Mr. Jung wince, scooting a grimace. “We were able to reach Manager Kim. He got an emergency call from his wife, apparently, she wants a divorce and he was really preoccupied. He got carried away with the call and kind of-”

“-happened to forget a six-year-old alone with no whatsoever supervision? We _trusted_ him. He urged us to leave for practice and _promised_ to look out after Chan _. How could he-”_

Chan, not having the slightest clue of what’s going on, squeezes Minho’s hand after recognizing the concern and anger plastered on his face. The dancer looks down at him. He stares at his innocent unknowing eyes for a long second before he sighs and look back up. “Look, I don’t want that man to work with us anymore. When trust is broken within a team, there’s no coming back.”

The managers both nods. They exchange a couple of more words, but Chan isn’t listening anymore. He is looking around the room. The rest of the members are doing weird movements on the floor; bending their backs or making their hands touch their feet. He doesn’t really understand. When his eyes lands on Hyunjin and Seungmin, both are already looking at him, waving their arms to encourage him to come toward them. Chan notices the plastic bag in their hands, and without another thought, he lets go of Minho’s hand who’s still busy exchanging complicated adult words.

“Channi- hyung how are you feeling?”

Chan doesn’t respond to Seungmin, his eyes are still fixed on the plastic back. “What’s in there?” he asks, pointing his small finger to the object of wonder.

“This, is for you little guy” Hyunjin opens the bag. Chan picks his eyes inside. “Woahhh”

There are various candies and ice-creams. From all different brands, colors and forms.

“And look what we also got you.” Seungmin holds in his hands a coloring book with coloring pencils. The book has superheroes and animals on the cover. They are smiling widely as if mirroring Chan’s big smile. “It’s for me?”

“Of course it is silly” Hyunjin says giggling. “Here, why don’t you sit down on the couch and do some coloring? You can eat anything you want if you get hungry.”

Chan do as he is told, the book already resting open on his lap. “What about you? Where are you going?”

“We’re just practicing in front of you. No one is leaving you okey?” Seungmin offers a genuine smile and it’s enough to ease the child’s worry who immediately focuses back on his coloring book.

Chan has colored over four pages when he lifts his head again. A kangaroo looks happy with his green skin and although Spiderman looks different with a yellow and blue outfit, he seems pretty glad as well. Carefully, he puts the book to the side, and reaching forward, he picks a lollipop from the plastic bag at his feet. The members are still dancing, it wouldn’t do any harm if Chan went for a walk in the hallway right? Without much thoughts, mind fogged, Chan jumps on his feet and quietly exit the practice room.

The hallway is bright and fresh, like a breeze of air compared to the sweat suffocating the previous room. His small legs take him a couple of feet ahead, until his curiosity makes him stop in front of a door. Loud laughers are emanating from it, and without being able to hold back his curiosity, the small child turns the doorknob and push the door open.

As soon as he can pock his head inside the room, his eyes meet a group of men already staring at him. A shy smile finds it way on Chan’s lips. In the back of his head, he knows that he knows them, although it may take some focus to remember their names. Subconsciously, he trusts them like family.

“Hey buddy, where do you come from?” One of them asks, a certain Jaebum if Chan remembers correctly. When the child doesn’t move, the older crouches on the ground and encourage him to come forward.

Chan does as he is told, steeping unto the room and letting the door close behind him. It’s a practice room, almost as similar as the one he came from.

Jaebum ruffles his hair when he is close enough. “What’s your name?”

“I feel bad for the person he ran away from. They must be worried sick.” Someone else says, standing beside Jaebum. Jackson, his brain informs.

“Where are your parents?” Someone tall asks. Chan flinches forward to hide behind Jackson’s legs and half unto Jaebum open arms. They all erupt in gentle laughers. “You scared him Jae.” The said Jae pouts, steeping back.

“So what’s your name little guy?” Jaebum asks again, but before Chan has to wonder if he should muster the courage to speak or not- he doesn’t really feel like it- the door opens again. “We’re back!” someone shouts.

Chan snaps his head back.

His eyes meet YoungK’s warm and playful ones, who freeze at the door for a second with wide surprised eyes. He gasps; “CHRIS!”

Chan runs to his arms, giggles already shaking his small chest. As soon as he lands safely in the older’s open embrace, he is lifted from the floor, euphoria making him laugh louder.

“WOAAH I MISSED YOU LITTLE GUY” YoungK screams as he swings Chan around.

“Chris? You know him?” Jackson asks with raised eyebrows. “And why are _you_ dancing like if you just won the lottery?” He says turning his attention to Bambam who’s doing a happy dance behind YoungK and the child. Bambam completely ignores him.

“You seriously don’t recognize him?” YoungK asks, slowly coming to a halt, Chan still widely smiling in his arms.

“We’re supposed to?” Jae raises his eyebrow.

YoungK gasps. “I would be offended If I was Chan.”

“What does Chan have to do-” Jaebum stops himself, mouth comically opening in realization. “Bang Chan?”

Chan turns his attention to the leader at the sound of his name, childish wonder illuminating his face. “Is that why _you_ are celebrating?”

“No practice today and no award show tomorrow. Regression I LOVE YOU” Bambam lifts his arms in the air, coming to an abrupt stop. “Oh no” Jaebum, Jae and Jackson say at the same time. “How are you so sure that you’re gonna regress anyway?”

“Because we regressed together for the past ten years.” Bambam turns to face Chan. “Right Chris?” Chan blinks at him, not conscious enough to know what he is talking about. Bambam doesn’t really look bothered. “You know what they say; if you try repressing your regression and little side, it will only make the regression period longer. You don’t want 6 years old Bam for longer than a day, right?” Before anyone can express their dissatisfaction, he raises his hand. “Don’t answer that. I need to text Jamie and the 97line group chat. Might go take a nap while am at it to accelerate the process. Good luck with changing the choreography!”

With that, Bambam is out of the door. The silence falls on the room, shocked and not really finding the right words.

“Fuck!” Chan chips in with his little joyful voice.

Jae, YoungK and Jackson explodes in loud laughers while Jaebum blinks at the child, shocked. “Who taught you that?”

At the same time, the door suddenly opens again.

“I’m sorry did you see Chan Hyu-” Minho’s eyes lands on Chan happily cuddled in YoungK’s arms, and his heart instantly calm down. “Oh thank god.” He approaches the two, cheeks red from embarrassment. “Sorry, I’m going to take him back.” Unsure if Chan is ready to leave Youngk’s arms for his, Minho still opens his arms, hands outstretched toward his leader. Surprisingly, Chan almost jumps on him, his small hands extended for the other to take which the dancer immediately does.

Minho is going to grow grey hair before Chan comes back to normal.

\---

Minho is growing grey hair. He’s sure, there’s no other way.

“Hyunjin, Hyunjin what are you doing? No you don’t need your phone charger, your battery, the charger of your battery, your earphones, your airpods and the charger of your airpods. We’re going to an award show, we’ll be gone for a couple of hours not changing the damn country.” 

“Felix darling, I adore your cookies and brownies I swear, but please go get ready the cars will be here in 10 minutes.”

“Jisung, five minutes have passed, get off your bed and get moving. National geography will still be waiting for you when we get back promise.”

“CHAN HYUNG! NO HYUNG I SAW YOU! You are six damn it, act like it! We are NOT taking your laptop and producing kit I already told you. NO!”

“Jeongin sweetheart, I am sure Yedam will let you copy his homework like he did the hundred and one time this year. Stop worrying. Don’t forget your phone. And your mask! Where’s your mask? Also, your shoes, they are inversed and tie your shoelace you’re going to fall! STOP RUNNING YOU’RE GONNA BUMP UNTO SOMEONE!”

“Seungmin and Changbin this is not the time to bark! Why aren’t you both ready? Yes I will take snacks but it’s not my fault you preferred watching Netflix rather than eat. I don’t care if the bathroom is taken, go brush your teeth in the kitchen! THE KITCHEN NOT THE BALCONY! YES, BOTH OF YOU!”

Minho honestly doesn’t know how Chan manages all of them 24H/7, even if usually they work together to keep the youngers in line. Or maybe they just decided to all act like children and make his life harder. Technically speaking only Chan is allowed to do that at the moment, but even him is not acting his age and insists on taking something to work on.

Minho had successfully managed to get them to the dorm at 9pm yesterday, which was a miracle of its own. After Chan had been found with some of Got7 and Day6 members, they had only practiced for a couple of more hours before they went to dinner, had a meeting about how tomorrow would go, and then were sent home. Chan had fallen asleep pretty earlier, another miracle, and all the members had gone to bed ahead of their usual ungodly hour given the fact that they have to wake up at 5 am the next day.

As expected, when Minho had woken up a couple of hours later, Chan was still in his child form. Which means that they will only perform as seven. Thankfully, it’s not a big award show as they only had planned to dance to Back door and had plenty of time to adjust the choreography yesterday. Manager Kim now gone for good, there isn’t someone available to look out after Chan in such a short notice, and unable to send either of them to their his parents, Division 1 and 2 decided to allow Chan and Bambam to attend the show- Bam had been right, he really did regress.

“I’M GONNA COUNT DOWN FROM THREE, IF EVERYONE IS NOT STANDING BY THE DOOR IN FRONT OF ME BY THEN, YOU’RE GOING TO EAT TISSUE FOR BREAKFAST!”

Hyunjin gasps the loudest from a place Minho can’t see.

“THREE”

Chan runs toward him, grabbing Minho’s hand who bend down to help him put his shoes on and securely wraps a scarf around his neck.

“TWO”

00 line arrives at the same time, as if lead by one body.

“ONE”

Jeongin arrives running, bumping violently unto Seungmin and almost sending both of them to the floor.

“0,5 SEO CHANGBIN”

Changbin comes panting, a smile on his lips. “I’m here, I’m here.”

Minho sighs. “Great let’s g-”

Chan who still has a hold on his hand, stops him from going out of the door, feet firmly stuck on the ground. He lifts his head toward the dancer. “There’s only seven of us.” Minho raises his eyebrows in surprise, eyes back toward his members. Chan has the reflex to count them even as a child, something he had grown used to do unconsciously. “LEE YONGBOK FELIX!” Minho shouts, certain that the young Australian had sneaked back to the kitchen somewhere between one and 0,5. Felix arrives back with a smile. “I’m sorry I forgot the tissues for the brownies.”

Minho blinks at him before he turns his head to the rest. “Changbin, you go down first. In the first car with Manager Jung I want Changbin, Jisung, Seungmin and Hyunjin. Second car with Manager Lee will be me, Felix, Jeongin and Chan hyung. At the hairdresser, I want you all to _behave_. No among us until we are done with the red carpet.”

“What? Why?” Hyunjin gasps.

“Oh I don’t know maybe because you start screaming and jumping around at every single thing? I don’t have Chan hyung’s patience and you are under my rules and supervision until further notice.”

“Tyrant” Jeongin and Hyunjin whispers.

Minho ignores them, urging them out of the door. Chan happily copy them, repeating the word like a mantra. “Tyrant! Tyrant! Tyrant! Tyrant!”

The avenue is crowded with fans and reporters. Chan had woken up this morning lucid, but after the whole 20 minutes nonstop of him calling Minho a Tyrant, no one is really sure if he still is or if he had gone back to the little mindset. For extra precaution, Minho turns toward him, helping him remove his seat belt. “Hyung, do you know where we are?”

“A party!” Chan chips happily.

Minho, Felix, Jeongin and Manager Lee exchange an unsure worried glance. “I can keep him with me.” The older man proposes. Not wanting to be separated of his members, Chan’s mind is forced back to consciousness as if a bucket of cold water has been purred on his head. He blinks multiple times before he hurriedly speaks with a steadier voice. “No no no I’m fine I swear. 23 years old leader Bang Chan, I can do this.”

“Okey hyung but stay by our side.” Chan rolls his eyes at Felix. He’s a kid after all, he can’t help it.

The fans scream their joy when the 8 members of Stray Kids step out of the van. The cameras flashes click faster, everyone surprised to see a child instead of the group’s strong and reliable leader.

When they finish walking down the red carpet, Chan being able to do it without anyone holding his hand, they stop beside an MC with a mic in his hand. “You can stand here; we’re doing a small interview.”

Chan had said he was fine, and he had been that was the truth. Unfortunately, his little side had been distracted with all the crowd and colorful signs held by fans. He doesn’t know where he is standing on the scale of self-awareness, but he certainly isn’t pleased when Minho lead the introduction instead of him.

“Why? What’s wrong Chan-ah? You’re pouting.” The interviewer asks with a smile in his tone.

“I’m the one supposed to do the introduction.” Chan says, crossing his arms against his chest. The man starts laughing, accompanied by the rest of the members. “He’s so cute, Lee Know-shi, the leader is supposed to lead the introduction why did you do that? It’s not right.” He says, faking the displease in his voice. Jisung who is standing beside the dancer comically slaps his arm.

“Should we do it again with Chan hyung then?” Changbin proposes, which everyone agrees to enthusiastically. Chan then proceed to lead the group introductions, and when they are done, he proudly smiles at the cameras and fans clapping.

“While we’re on the subject, I would like to ask, what type of regressor is Bang Chan? For example, is he the type to stay self-aware or does his little completely takes over?”

“As the member who’ve known Hyung the longest, I’m going to answer.” Han says unto the mic. “Chan hyung takes on a lot of responsibilities as a leader and is always working so hard for us. The only time he really gets to 100% relaxes is when he regresses, so he is a little almost all his regression. He is conscious only about 10-20% of the total period.”

The MC nods long, an understanding smile on his lips. “Body regression after all exists to help health, both mental and physical. Does Chan keep some traits as an adult and as a child?”

Han hands the mic to Changbin standing by his side. “Channi-Hyung has the reflex to always take care of us, even when he is a kid. This morning, we were about to leave after making sure everyone was ready to go but he is the only one who noticed that Felix had sneaked back to the kitchen because he had forgotten something.”

Hyunjin takes the mic when he is reminded of something. “Last night, I was in the living room working on some lyrics and it was pretty cold. Channi-hyung arrived dragging a blanket bigger than him and wrapped it around my shoulders. He is really attentive and care about us a lot. Even when he isn’t lucid, it’s not his own name that occupies Chan hyung’s mind but Stray Kids.” 

“Stray Kids” Chan repeats with a smile, focusing back on the conversation when his ears recognize the name.

A couple of minutes later, they are hurried backstage to get dressed up and properly ready. The seven members minus Chan got sent on stage, to sit on the couches and watch the other artist’s performances. Chan was kept with the staff with Bambam, a coloring book between both of them.

“I’m bored.” 6 years old Bambam affirms, throwing his orange coloring pen across the floor. Chan lifts his head toward him, abandoning the koala he was coloring. There’s a silence before Bambam turns his head toward Chan’s. “Should we go?” 

“Where?” Chan wonders, eyes twinkling in excitement. Bambam simply shrugs. “Just on a walk.” He puts a finger in front of his lips, quickly mirrored by the Australian. “But we need to be silent.”

Unaware of what they are doing, Chan and BamBam successfully sneak away from the staff members that had been meant to look out after them. Hand in hand, feeling as if they are in the most courageous and hazardous mission, they run down the halls. They don’t really know how they got there, but when they finally come to a stop, a huge black curtain faces them. Both children lift their hands to brush the veil away, and when they step forward, lights and screams assault their eyes and ears. They stay frozen on stage, shocked and unexpecting of the huge crowd of hundred people watching them and cheering.

At the other side of the stage, Stray kids and Got7 stands up in a gasp of shock. “I TOLD YOU it was a bad idea to bring both of them or am I the only one remembering the 100 and 1 pranks they did together when they were trainees?” Jaebum shouts under the scream of the crowd, running past the idols almost rolling on the floor with laughers to reach the two mischievous kids who started waving back to the crowd. Minho quickly follows after the older leader, an amused smirk on his lips.

The rest of the night goes rather smoothly. Bambam and Chan are allowed to stay on stage with their members, and the entertainment they bring as they dance in their seats along with the idols performing on the main stage is worth any popular variety show. At the end of the night, Chan gets asked if he’d like to close the show with the MC. The leader enthusiastically accepts, perfectly saying the words he had been instructed to say; Chan had always been a good speaker.

“Channi, as final words, would you like to say Hi to your family?”

Chan smiles wide, his eyes glitters under the lights. He waves at the camera; “Stray Kids Hi!”

**Author's Note:**

> As promised, Part 2 of 'Oh Sweet Summer Child'! I hope you liked it as much (or maybe more?) as part1. If you haven't read part1, I hope that you liked it and will be interested to read part1! 
> 
> This is half as long as part1, but for my defence, in this one only Chan regresses. I hope this helped ease some stress off your shoulders as much as it helped me while writing it. 
> 
> I might write more parts with other members and scenarios, let me know if you have any requests I might write it! 
> 
> As always, Thank you so much for reading and comments are so much appreciated. 
> 
> See Ya!!


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